Monday, December 18, 2017

Plaudits pour in for retiring Chief Justice McLachlin

The accolades continue to roll in for Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin as she retires after 28 years on the Supreme Court of Canada, including 17 years as Chief Justice.
Probably Canada's best-known judge, Justice McLachlin has been a beacon of common sense at the head of Canada's legal system, and has earned almost universal respect. She refused to be cowed by Stephen Harper during the Conservative Dark Ages of the early 21st century, and almost single-handedly preserved the country from some of his most egregious excesses. She has provided a leading voice on native issues, and has been a splendid role model for women and girls, particularly those looking towards her still very much male-dominated field.
Her replacement as Chief Justice is to be Montreal-born Supreme Court judge Robert Wagner, who will almost certainly do a good job in the post, but is unlikely to prove the same kind of activist and firebrand judge as Justice McLachlin.
She will be sorely missed.

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